Abstract
Deserts and desertified land form an important ecosystem that supports the inhabitants of dry land areas, and desertification dynamics have a significant impact on the regional Ecosystem Service Value (ESV). In this paper, the desertification dynamics in North China from 1981 to 2010 and their impact on the regional ESV were analyzed by decomposing the processes of desertification. The results showed that the area and structure of deserts and desertified land had greatly changed, and the area of land that experienced desertification reversion was higher than expansion. Desertification reversion was the key process that promoted an increase in the total ESV of the whole research region; the increment of the ESV can be attributed to the reversal from deserts and desertified land to non-desertified lands reached 90.13 billion yuan. Desertification expansion from undegraded grassland to deserts and desertified land was the dominant process that produced a decreased in the regional ESV. Horqin grassland, Hetao plain, and Wumeng Qianshan and Tumote plain had a higher sensitivity than other sub-regions, and Alashan plateau had the lowest sensitivity among all of the sub-regions. To enhance economic development and the ecological services supply, “win–win” measures should be used for sub-regions with different sensitivities.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
